Service Provider to the Rescue: How Firm Recovery of Do-It-Yourself Service Failure Turns Consumers from Competitors to Satisfied Customers

Abstract

While consumers frequently attempt to resolve their own consumption problems (i.e., do-it-yourself (DIY)), they are often unsuccessful and subsequently turn to a professional. In the present research, we consider DIY failure as a form of service failure (SF) and demonstrate that experiencing DIY service failure (DIY SF) influences consumer evaluations of subsequent firm recovery. This occurs because consumers who experience DIY SF gain greater understanding of the task (i.e., learning) through their failed attempt. This learning promotes increased appreciation of the recovering service provider’s ability, ultimately resulting in greater satisfaction with the recovery offering. We further identify mindset as a moderator of this effect, wherein those with a growth mindset are more likely to learn from failure and appreciate the abilities of the recovering service provider. By highlighting DIY SF as a novel form of SF, we demonstrate the importance of understanding customers’ prior experiences with the focal consumption problem and its solution, and of training front-line employees to better manage these customers. We test our theory across four studies using lab and field data, and close by discussing theoretical and managerial implications.

Self-recovery after self-service technology failures: do motivations and self-efficacy matter?

“…Self-recovery will result in customers' increased ability, knowledge, skills and self-improvement (Dong et al. , 2008; Hall and Hyodo, 2022).…”

“…For example, engaging in self-recovery after an SST failure is a learning opportunity that helps customers better understand troubleshooting processes and gain experience in solving similar future problems (Keating and Aslan, 2023). Self-recovery will result in customers' increased ability, knowledge, skills and self-improvement (Dong et al, 2008;Hall and Hyodo, 2022).…”

“…Concerning SST failure, while self-recovery is challenging, scholars also posited that it provides customers with substantial value. Customers who put more effort into independently solving the SST error will accumulate the skills needed to solve it without service staff intervention (Collier et al, 2017;Hall and Hyodo, 2022). As a result, self-recovery leads to customers' self-improvement through enhanced knowledge, skills and abilities Self-recovery after SST failures related to the task (Chiu and Nguyen, 2022;Dong et al, 2008).…”

Service failure and service recovery: A hybrid review and research agenda

“…Therefore, a search for both parsimonious theories and constructs that better capture the consumer cognitive and affective “black box” must continue. In recent years, self‐determination theory has been used extensively especially in contexts, the complexities of which cannot be adequately captured through justice paradigms (Gilal et al, 2019; Hall & Hyodo, 2022).…”

Thirty Years of Service Failure and Recovery Research: Thematic Development and Future Research Opportunities From a Social Network Perspective

“…Figure 5 unveils a prevailing trend in which most previous studies relied on a single research method, either empirical (e.g., survey, secondary data) or experimental. To overcome the limitations inherent in relying solely on a single research method (e.g., limited external validity of experimental research, limited internal validity of survey research), several recent SFR articles have adopted a multi-faceted approach, utilizing both empirical and experimental research methods to augment the validity of their findings (e.g., Casidy et al 2021; Hall and Hyodo 2022; Herhausen et al 2023). Figure 5 illuminates an upward trajectory in the percentage of articles employing multiple research methods during the 2020-2022 period.…”